Bite marks still admitted in key trial, despite low reliability

Sep 18, 2013

Bite marks still admitted in key trial, despite low reliability

Posted By
Brickfield & Donahue

When someone is charged with a crime, the authorities working on the case
will work to gather any and all evidence to try to secure a convictions.
In alleged crimes involving more than one person, there might be evidence
on one of the people. A case in a neighboring state was being watched
closely, as many had hoped a judge would set precedent in throwing out
bite mark evidence for lack of reliability.

Bite marks on a person are often used in cases of murder and sexual assault.
However, these bite marks can be frequently analyzed incorrectly but carry
a lot of weight in many trials.

The decision by the judge was that these bite marks could still be admitted
as evidence at the trial of a man charged with murder. This decision means
more future cases across the country could still involve evidence of bite marks.

According to a report, 24 men have been convicted because of bite-mark
evidence in serious cases, but later exonerated since 2000. These people
likely had served a long period of time in prison and could have served
a life sentence if they weren't exonerated.

Because of the severity of these crimes, many people serve prison time,
and if they are released, have difficulty finding employment and reintegrating
into their communities. This is why a rigorous criminal defense in New
Jersey can be important for people charged with sexual assault and other
serious crimes. A conviction of these crimes can result in significant
prison time and other serious consequences.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.